Resurrection

Spring sure hits me over the head. It gets under my skin. It takes over my entire body and spirit. I can't help it. The delicate buds of white next to the tiny neon green leaves just....well it sort of attacks me. I can't escape. Its a have to. Given the complete and total disaster that my garden has become, I've termed this season one of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. I let things go that I shouldn't, I let things fall that should have been supported. I find myself hungry for dirt, for air, for water. It is in my nature. Unfortunatly, I have an exam tomorrow (didn't study today). I have a paper due on Sat. I have another exam next Monday. Whew! I'll just say gardening is my destressor. Oh wait, I'm not stressed. I'm spending time in the garden. HAHA!


The big find today was the frog in my daughter's hand. She caught it and carried it around. We also found some lovely little geckos and some butterflies. Ah, Spring.



Ok, new plan. As usual. For the record, I am learning new things despite the need to start over every year. The box had to be moved. I had the boxes in a place that recieved little sun and not enough water (out of sight, out of mind). So, I moved it here. I also put newspaper underneath the compost. Hopefully, this will work! Cross your fingers, do a juju dance and say a prayer. I desperatly want to actually harvest, SOMETHING.

This is a basil. All told my expenditures today, $20. I am trying the KISS method. For those of you who don't know, Keep it Simple Stupid. I need capitals on the stupid. I have spent so much time on wasted projects that were too big for me to finish. More than I could do. I'm starting so small. I little space here, a few plants there. We'll see. I feel encouraged. I found fertilizer in a bucket ( I thought I would have to buy it and then there it was). I also have plants emerging carefully from their winter rest from neglect and weeds. If I can get the weeds under control we'll be ok. SO, big, huge lesson, newspaper and mulch are absolute essentials. Every year I say this. Every year I fall short. I'm not doing anything without these two items. I have straw to cover the veggie box once I get it planted. I have a bed cleared and Dave is picking up the mulch tomorrow or Thursday. Slow and Steady wins the race.

Rollin' up my sleeves

It snowed yesterday but spring is definitly in the air. When the trees start their blooms and the little white flowers on my spirea begin to show I know I'm in trouble. I have a love hate relationship with nature right now. I hate it because it is so inviting and so tempting yet so much work! I want to invest my days in playing in the dirt and digging and building and planting and enjoying my yard but I can't. I can make only a few small steps at a time. The area off the back porch looks really good. We filled it in with mulch and have a picnic area out there. I need to clean up around the roses and fertilize them. I have a good spot for some herbs there but I'm worried about the foot traffic. I'm not sure how to protect my plants. We are brainstorming ideas for doggie protection and have come to the conclusion that Nora needs to be on a run when she is in the back yard. She needs to be contained because we just don't have the time to train her properly. This makes me sad but its my own fault. My own ADD. As for the side yard, I kind of feel like I need a nuclear bomb! It is a mess. A total and complete failure. I'm hoping to salvage the few plants I have left and try to make something somewhat beautiful there. My goal is to start with the front yard. It needs mulch and cleaning up and it will be great. I never plant annual flowers but I think I will try this year. I need some color. The other thing that has been on my mind lately is planting a plum tree. With my grandmother's passing in Oct, I have thought long and hard about her plum jam. I have missed for a while (she stopped canning it a long time ago) but I want to have my own tree so I can put some up. It is one of my most favorite homemade items. I don't know much about caring for trees. I am realizing I don't know much about gardening period. Hopefully I can make all my book knowledge grow one thing this year.